Holders must cross Bridge

Parish Cup holders Booth will be going to Sowerby Bridge’s Walton Street ground after all next season.

Last season’s double winners were paired with Bridge in last night’s draw for the first round of the cup, which was made at the league meeting at Pellon Club.

Bridge had to play home matches at Stainland last season, after the ravages of the Boxing Day floods in 2015, and the firsts were relegated from the Premier on the final day in a desperate scramble for survival.

The general consensus was that they were unlucky to go down and Booth skipper Richard Laycock is expecting a stern test on Sunday, May 7.

Laycock said: “It could be a tough one. They will obviously want to do well back down at Sowerby Bridge.”

He added that Bridge had some useful players, including Sam Mellor and Tim Helliwell.

“We will have to go down there and do what we did throughout the competition last year - play well.”

Laycock expects to have the same group of players under his command. “Our team will probably be very similar with possibly one signing,” he added.

The plum tie involves Jer Lane and Warley, two of the league’s big guns, while the Sowerby St Peter’s versus SBCI match is another mouth-watering contest.

Illingworth SM, returning to the Halifax League from the Aire/Wharfe League, face an interesting trip to Blackley.

Meanwhile, Birkby Rose Hill have been readmitted to the Sunday League on a vote of 8-1.

League chiefs said they would investigate claims by a couple of clubs that they had not been given the chance to take part in the electronic vote.

Triangle say they are unable to host this year’s Crossley Shield second teams’ final on Sunday, August 20 and the league has invited applications from other clubs to stage the game.